Author: Tracy Cozzens

DigitalGlobe Expands Partnership with Orbital Insight

This image depicts how Orbital Insight is detecting building shadows in Nanjing, China, to monitor construction rates in the area.

DigitalGlobe has expanded its partnership and offering with Orbital Insight, a market intelligence and data science company that analyzes socioeconomic trends at global, regional and hyper-local scales.

Within DigitalGlobe’s Geospatial Big Data platform, Orbital Insight’s machine vision engineers, artificial intelligence experts and data scientists now have access to 400 terabytes of high-resolution imagery, an increase of nearly 80 times the data that was available for analysis under the previous partnership agreement.

The partnership is enabling Orbital Insight to more quickly validate its hypotheses and understand a variety of trends in the commercial and humanitarian markets. Having access to this volume of DigitalGlobe’s data allows the ability to visualize and analyze even larger areas of interest around the globe, allowing users to better understand the economic trends impacting industries and markets, according to DigitalGlobe.

“Orbital Insight’s customers — hedge funds, Fortune 500 companies, and global humanitarian organizations — will now be able to understand near real-time global economic trends with even greater precision and scale,” DigitalGlobe writes in a blog. “In one recent project, Orbital Insight leveraged DigitalGlobe imagery to process 4 trillion DigitalGlobe pixels in a 48-hour period, counting 700 million cars that yielded tradable insights into national shopping behavior for the company’s customers on Wall Street. This fall, Orbital Insight expects to release several new data analytics products, including worldwide monitoring of crude oil storage inventories and monitoring construction rates across the major cities in China, which are powered by DigitalGlobe’s image library and Geospatial Big Data platform.”

“This expanded partnership with DigitalGlobe accelerates the realization of Orbital Insight’s vision for a macroscope, a scientific instrument for helping human society to see itself in a new light,” said James Crawford, CEO of Orbital Insight. “The partnership enables us to more quickly validate our hypotheses and understand a variety of trends in the commercial and humanitarian markets. Having access to this volume of data gives us the ability to visualize and analyze even larger areas of interest around the globe, allowing us to better understand the economic trends that are impacting industries and markets.”

“The era of geospatial big data has arrived,” said Shay Har-Noy, DigitalGlobe’s Senior Director for Geospatial Big Data. “DigitalGlobe’s platform provides the largest commercial library of current and historical satellite imagery available, integrated into a cost-effective environment where meaningful insight can be extracted from the data through algorithms built by companies like Orbital Insight.”

To learn more about DigitalGlobe’s Geospatial Big Data platform, visit developer.digitalglobe.com.

September 10, 2015
Mobile Surveying Solutions from Teledyne Optech Shown at INTERGEO 2015

3D point cloud collected at highway speeds.

The latest solutions by Teledyne Optech for the productive and accurate collection of spatial data will be on display at INTERGEO 2015, taking place Sept. 15-17 in Stuttgart, Germany — including a new solution for survey-grade mobile mapping.

At booth C4.019 in Hall 4, Teledyne Optech will present the latest addition to its high-powered Optech Lynx mobile survey systems. The new model is designed for both efficient asset collection and the delivery of engineering survey-grade results, giving operators flexibility for multiple types of jobs. Teledyne Optech will also demonstrate how the advanced features of Optech LMS 3.0 improve collection and processing efficiency by enabling access to survey control.

Several other Teledyne Optech systems will be at the booth, including the Optech Galaxy airborne mapper. Visitors can take the opportunity to see how Galaxy vastly improves survey efficiency and consistency in variable terrain by letting surveyors ignore multipulse blind zones and keep their swath and point density on the ground constant with its PulseTRAK and SwathTRAK technologies. Forestry and coastal data from the Optech Titan will also be available, with Teledyne Optech experts ready to explain the new techniques that surveyors, government agencies and academics have developed to take advantage of its revolutionary multispectral lidar technology for topo/bathy surveys, land classification and biomass estimation.

The CZMIL Nova System is designed for airborne coastal and marine mapping.

Groups interested in surveying deeper in turbid waters than any other airborne lidar can also drop by the booth to hear more about the Optech CZMIL Nova. Even smaller organizations with limited budgets can now make use of CZMIL Nova, thanks to redesigned hardware that lets it survey from aircraft as small as a Piper Navajo, plus the ability to rent the sensor and its HydroFusion workflow through the CZMIL Project Program.

For smaller scale projects, Teledyne Optech will display integrated solutions using the flexible Optech ILRIS terrestrial lidar scanner: Users can rapidly survey open pit mines by combining ILRIS with photogrammetry from the new geo-XR6 UAV, constantly monitor dangerous areas for landslides with the Gexcel OPMMS solution, or even survey harbors above and below water simultaneously with an integrated ILRIS/Seabat sonar system.

Visitors interested in improving productivity and safety in underground mining can see the Optech Cavity Monitoring System (CMS) V500 in action and try out its new integrated camera, georeferencing tools and more.

September 9, 2015
Routescene LidarPod Enables UAV Use in Surveying

Routescene aims to alter the surveying world, allowing surveys to take place that previously would have been cost or time prohibitive. The Routescene LidarPod, introduced at INTERGEO 2014, was developed to save time, improve efficiencies and productivity.

The LidarPod — 3D mapping technology designed specifically for use on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — enables faster surveys, decreasing time in the field and reducing data download time, ensuring users are working with resulting datasets within hours, Routescene said. The business benefits mean surveying is more accessible, can be applied to more scenarios, and enables customers to allocate budget more effectively, the company said.

The LidarPod has many applications, such as powerline inspection for utilities, in forestry to determine biomass volumes, cut and fill analysis in mining, and highway mapping and surveys. The LidarPod is a turnkey system that is lightweight, compact and quick to deploy in the field, the company said. It can be used on vehicles as well as UAVs, making it flexible in many different environments.

Tony Murfin, GPS World’s contributing editor for professional OEM editor, discussed the Routescene LidarPod in his column.

September 4, 2015
ASPRS Launches New Lidar Certification

The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) certification program has launched a Professional and Technologist LIDAR Certification with two certifications: the Certified Mapping Scientists, Lidar (CMS, Lidar) and the Certified Lidar Technologist (CLT).

The Certified Mapping Scientist, Lidar certification is described as:

A professional involved in lidar systems design and/or systems application of data acquisition and computer programs that allow for the utilization of spatially referenced lidar point clouds for solving user needs and analysis requirements. Responsibilities of the applicant should include management and supervision leading to the integration of data needs and the development of correspondence among, and the utilization of, various spatial systems of often-different generic origins that are used to solve requirements.

The Certified Lidar Technologist certification is described as:

A technician who performs routine Lidar collection support and first level data processing integrating established plans and procedures.

With this launch, the ASPRS education program expands to include nine certificate programs serving the geospatial industry. The ASPRS Certification program continues to offer the geospatial community the only accredited certifications in the industry, ASPRS said, and the program holds accreditation from the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB).

For details on how to apply, visit the ASPRS website.

Questions about the ASPRS certification programs can be directed to Jesse Winch, ASPRS Certification program manager, at [email protected] or by phone at 301-493-0290, x 101.

August 19, 2015
Remote Geosystems Adds Support for Commercial UAV Video

Remote GeoSystems is now offering direct support in all of its LineVision cloud, server and desktop applications for video from the DJI Inspire 1 unmanned aerial vehicle. The new LineVision capability gives DJI Inspire 1 operators and pilots the ability to create and deliver interactive professional-grade video inspection and survey work products using GIS software such as Esri ArcGIS, Bing Maps and Google Earth.

DJI Inspire 1 users need to enable .SRT file logging while recording video during flight. Post-flight, LineVision allows users to load or upload the video and GPS track to a map. As the video plays, a cursor moves along the GPS track on the map, constantly indicating where and when the current video view was captured based on GPS data logged during the mission.

Users can geographically navigate the video recordings by clicking any of the points along the GPS track on a map. The video then automatically advances or reverses to that point in the video so that analysts and subject-matter experts can visually interpret what was recorded at that specific place and time.

In addition to FMV, LineVision features import/upload and “one-click” geo-referencing of nearly any kind of rich media including photos, audio and electronic documents or files such as PDF, Microsoft Office and CAD files.

LineVision features flexible mapping options allowing users to incorporate and “stream” background maps and data layers from your enterprise GIS and third-party map service providers. All these imported data types can be saved in a Remote GeoSystems .geoProject file for data portability and future analysis in LineVision software.

The Remote GeoSystems technology has been developed commercially and independent of defense programs, making it easier for non-military customers outside the U.S. and around the globe to acquire the applications and expertise without having to go through the often lengthy ITAR export process.

August 19, 2015
FlightAware Partners with Esri on Flight Tracking and Status Data Mapping

Esri and FlightAware have partnered to combine the power of a flight tracking and status company with the ArcGIS mapping platform. The partnership features the ability to view and analyze large amounts of accurate, live-aviation data in one powerful spatial system.

FlightAware aggregates live flight tracking data from more than 50 government air traffic control authorities, satellite data link partners such as Garmin and ARINCDirect, and FlightAware’s own in-house ADS-B receiver network, consisting of more than 3,400 receivers in more than 100 countries.

“Esri has the tools and expertise to visualize data in a proven GIS environment,” FlightAware business development manager Max Tribolet said. “FlightAware data is the perfect addition. We’re the largest flight tracking company in the world, based on how many disparate data feeds we have coming into our system. So it’s pretty powerful when you pull our data into GIS.”

“This is a really good way to provide an additional option to our existing and potential customers, who might not have an easy way to consume larger volumes of flight tracking data,” Tribolet said. “A stand-alone app like Esri’s ArcGIS is adept at handling large quantities of data and is able to visualize it. This relationship with Esri allows FlightAware to focus on what we do best: constantly adding and aggregating quality flight tracking data and providing it to the industry.”

Airports and agencies have started exploring opportunities to use FlightAware data in GIS to improve proactive noise monitoring and airspace design as well as monitoring airspace congestion in real time. FlightAware visualizes live and historic data — such as altitude, longitude, latitude, ground speed, and estimated and actual schedule times—in 2D, 3D, and even 4D maps.

“The ability to fuse FlightAware data within the ArcGIS platform unlocks a host of new and innovative capabilities with regard to visualization, analysis and collaboration,” Esri aviation business development lead Stephen Willer said. “That results in a higher level of operational intelligence. We’re excited to bring this to our users across the globe. Real-time information access like this is essential not only today but also to our future air traffic systems.”

August 17, 2015
Night-Time Satellite Images Show ISIS-Controlled Regions

Figure 1. Suomi NPP/VIIRS night-time light images for Iraq: (a) May 2014, (b) December 2014.

A new paper published in the academic journal International Journal of Remote Sensing analyzed city night lights in Northern Iraq during 2014, suggesting a major loss of electrical power supply within the Iraqi cities seized by ISIS.

The territory controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has grown rapidly since the start of the Syrian Civil War, and in 2014 ISIS expanded its control into Northern Iraq. While there are many media reports on violence and geopolitical issues surrounding the takeover of these areas, the impact on everyday life, such as access to electricity for people living in ISIS-controlled regions, is less clear.

In the study, Xi Li and Deren Li (Wuhan University, China) and Rui Zhang and Chengquan Huang (University of Maryland) analyzed city lights as a proxy for the power supply in ISIS-controlled regions between May 2014 and December 2014. The city light data were acquired from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor on the NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite.

The analysis indicates that most of the ISIS-controlled cities, including Mosul and Tikrit, experienced a decrease of more than 90 percent in city light after being seized by ISIS, while the loss of light in cities controlled by the Iraqi security forces (ISF) was very limited. However, the city lights in Ar Raqqa, Syria, ISIS’ de facto capital, did not show a decline after that region was seized by ISIS.

These comparisons suggest that the conflict in Northern Iraq has resulted in a major loss of electrical power supply within the Iraqi cities seized by ISIS, and that this loss is most likely due to lack of access to the Iraqi power grid, rather than a deliberate ISIS strategy of limiting night-time light.

The insurgency in Northern Iraq since 2014 has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, the study authors say. It is widely known that it is extremely dangerous to collect information from ISIS-controlled regions; therefore, the use of remotely sensed night-time light images such as these offer humanitarian agencies and NGOs a low-risk indicator of socioeconomic conditions in war-torn countries like Iraq.

The paper is “Detecting 2014 Northern Iraq Insurgency using night-time light imagery,” by Xi Li, Rui Zhang, Chengquan Huang and Deren Li, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 2015, published by Taylor & Francis Group.

August 13, 2015
USGS Selects Woolpert to Evaluate Lidar for 3DEP

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has contracted with Woolpert to evaluate new lidar (light detection and ranging) technologies to assess the suitability to support the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP).

This use of the single photon and Geiger mode lidar for this evaluation is new to the commercial market, according to Woolpert Project Director John Gerhard.

“This technology provides the ability to fly at higher altitudes while acquiring data at an increased point density,” Gerhard said. “The USGS has asked us to provide an evaluation of this sensor technology in support of 3DEP.”

The USGS is developing the 3DEP initiative to respond to the growing need for high-quality topographic data nationwide, to address issues that include flood-risk management, precision agriculture, natural resource management, infrastructure management and hazard mitigation.

Woolpert — a national architecture, engineering and geospatial firm — will then evaluate the data, conduct an accuracy analysis, develop final data products and provide a comprehensive report to the USGS by the end of the year.

August 13, 2015
Esri Field Notes App Answers Questions with Geography
Smartphone users now have access to Field Notes—Earth, a new mobile app from Esri that employs the power of geography to answer questions about locations throughout the world. Built using Esri’s AppStudio for ArcGIS, the free app allows anyone to discover interesting facts about population, nature and physical landscapes for any location on Earth.

“Field Notes—Earth leverages the tremendous capabilities of geographic information to describe the world in detail,” said Esri president, Jack Dangermond. “Tools like these update and transform our understanding and expectations in ways that help us be wiser citizens of the planet.”

With an intuitive design available on Android and iOS devices, the app gives users the option to discover answers to questions about their hometown, current residence, or any place of interest. It lets them compare these findings to an additional location.

After selecting an initial place via current location, search, or by dropping a pin on a map, the app reveals geographic insights for three categories — Natural, Physicaland People. Sample questions include:
- How crowded is it in this location?
- How close am I to a recent earthquake area?
- What is the predicted 2050 change in average temperature?
“Whether you are relocating, are an educator looking for a new teaching resource, or just curious about the world around you, the app reveals insights into the complexity of humanity’s relationship with Earth for everyone to enjoy,” said Sean Breyer, ArcGIS content program manager at Esri.

In addition to exploring 18 questions, users can click on any answer for more details and to learn how the selected locations relate to the rest of the world’s landscape and populations. The app reveals, for example, that the majority of people live in very hot climates and more than 40 percent of the Earth’s soil is poor for most crops.

Field Notes—Earth uses maps from Esri’s Living Atlas of the World, including the World Ecological Land Units map that shows the Earth’s complex ecosystems; the new World Seafloor Geomorphology map that reveals the complex role oceans play in Earth systems; and the World Population Estimate map that shows where people live.

Esri’s Content Team created the app using AppStudio for ArcGIS, which lets you build an app once and have it automatically ready for Android, iOS, Windows, OS X, and Linux.

The app is available for free download in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
August 13, 2015
F-35 Helmet Mounted Display Delivered and Demonstrated

The first Gen III F-35 Helmet Mounted Display System has been delivered. (Photo: Rockwell Collins)

Lockheed Martin and Rockwell Collins have delivered the first Gen III F-35 Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS). The advanced technology for warfighters provides pilots with unprecedented levels of situational awareness and allows them to “look through” the airframe.

Company executives commemorated the delivery of the first HDMS on Aug. 11 with Sen. Joni Ernst in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In addition to the HMDS, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II demonstrator was on site at the Cedar Rapids headquarters of Rockwell Collins for Sen. Ernst to get a first-hand experience of “flying” the military’s most advanced fighter jet following the delivery ceremony.

Rockwell Collins, through its joint venture, Rockwell Collins ESA Vision Systems LLC, is providing the most advanced technology for warfighters with the F-35 HMDS, which provides pilots with unprecedented levels of situational awareness and allows them to “look through” the airframe.

The Gen III helmet, which includes an improved night vision camera, improved liquid-crystal displays, automated alignment and software improvements is to be introduced to the fleet in low rate initial production Lot 7 in 2016. Rockwell Collins ESA Vision Systems LLC also developed the Gen II helmet that F-35 pilots currently use, which met the needs for the U.S. Marine Corps and will allow the service to declare Initial Operational Capability.

All the information that pilots need to complete their missions — through all weather, day or night — is projected on the helmet’s visor. Additionally, the F-35’s Distributed Aperture System (DAS), made by Northrop Grumman, streams real-time imagery from six infrared cameras mounted around the aircraft to the helmet, allowing pilots to “look through” the airframe.

“Today’s visit was an opportunity to place focus on Rockwell Collins, as manufacturing makes up such an important part of our economy here in Iowa,” said Senator Ernst. “Having served in the military for over 20 years, I appreciate the company’s efforts in support of our national defense, our armed forces and our veterans.”

“We’re pleased to be able to demonstrate the advanced capabilities of the F-35 Lightning II at Rockwell Collins today to Sen. Ernst and members of the Cedar Rapids community,” said Steve Callaghan, director, F-35 Program, Lockheed Martin Washington Operations. “The employees at Rockwell Collins are contributing to the F-35s flying today, and we’re pleased to have the opportunity to showcase the superior performance capabilities of this aircraft with them.”

Overall, Rockwell Collins has built and fit more than 200 helmets for F-35 pilots who are being trained for the program.

August 13, 2015
Boundless Uses GIS Imagery to Search for MH370 Debris

Geospatial experts at Boundless, a geospatial IT company, discuss how GIS imagery can help find debris from missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.

The blog post Georeferencing Imagery in the Hunt for MH370 takes the complicated location of debris from MH370, and puts it through the open-source software used by Boundless to overlay two major ocean currents, the South Equatorial Current, and the West Australian Current. Prevailing winds graphics and additional vector data of the MH370 search areas and potential flight path are also included.

“While we wait for additional information regarding the missing Boeing 777, I wanted to examine if GIS could add plausibility that debris may have washed up this far west from the original search areas,” writes Anthony Calamito, solutions architect with Boundless. A piece of a wing known as a flaperon from a Boeing 777 was found on Reunion Island, thousands of miles from the plane’s flight path and official search area. No other Boeing 777 airplanes are missing. Flight MH370 vanished on March 8 last year with 239 passengers and crew.

Boundless says in the post that the georeferenced and digitized graphics illustrate how the debris could have washed on shore as the surface currents rotating around the Indian Ocean Gyre could have moved the debris in a general western direction.

According to Boundless, this is an example of how geospatial solutions can use existing data and intelligence to produce answers when none seem to be forthcoming, as it’s been during the search for MH370.

Read the full blog post here.

August 12, 2015
MicroSurvey FieldGenius 8 Provides Control in Field Data Collection
The newest version of MicroSurvey FieldGenius delivers expanded toolsets and enhanced capabilities for fast, accurate and complete field data collection, according to maker MicroSurvey Software. FieldGenius 8 was developed through close market collaboration and feedback from users, and provides tight control over crucial aspects of field data collection through expanded toolsets and an enhanced user experience, the company said.

Benefits of the new release include:
- Easy GNSS Local Transformation. A redesigned interface provides a streamlined workflow along with the ability to export/import localization files and use Helmert transformation.
- Enhanced DXF Support. Blocks, extrusion vectors, circles, and other entities are now supported in DXF file format for faster and easier drawing import.
- Advanced Point Averaging. The routine allows users to take multiple GNSS and/or TPS temporary measurements of a point and calculate an averaged position for increased accuracy and reliability.
- All-New Electronic Bubble. Integrated inertial sensors are now supported, which enables tilt compensated surveying on selected receivers and improves efficiency at difficult job sites.
- Native Unicode Support. Unicode character encoding has been implemented throughout the program. International users can now use their own language for data entry inside FieldGenius.
- Simplified GIS Mapping. GIS attributes can now be easily added to figures. In addition, users can quickly access default/previous values for both points and figures to make mapping tasks even easier.
FieldGenius 8 also includes improvements to road alignments, an onboard basic measurement mode, dynamic screen rotation, and expanded ASCII export options. Additionally, supported coordinate systems, geoids, instruments, and data collectors has been expanded, making it easier to integrate into existing survey operations.
August 12, 2015